By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday insisted that the Bahamas is ready to tackle Ebola cases as he officially announced the task force appointed to spearhead preparedness in the event that the deadly virus arrives in the country.

“In the face of this new calamitous circumstance affecting the world called Ebola, (I want to say) that the Bahamas is prepared given all of the challenges that we have,” Mr Christie said at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister.

“(We will) take the right and best steps given our resources towards giving maximum protection to the people of the Bahamas and to those who come into our shores as tourists and residents.”

He spoke to reporters after the task force met yesterday morning.

The task force’s strategic plan includes monitoring air and sea arrivals as well as ports of entry on the Family Islands. Officials added that the Critical Care Block at the Princess Margaret Hospital, with its four incubation rooms, is available to house patients if it becomes necessary.

Extensive training of police and defence force officers along with Department of Customs and Immigration workers is now underway in the Family Islands, according to task force officials.

Gerry Eijkemans, a Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) representative, commended the Christie administration for its plan. She said there was no need for heightened levels of fear in the country similar to the fears spread by international media.

She said PAHO was not recommending travel or trade bans at this point.

Mr Christie told The Tribune that it has not been recommended that the Bahamas postpone plans to hold Carnival celebrations next year.

The PAHO representative said: “We want to commend the government of the Bahamas for its measures. Please, fear is not necessary. The director general just ended the International Health Organisation’s meeting by saying the fear that is going out in the world, including the United States of America, is unrealistic and is disproportionate with the risk that Ebola is posing to the world.

“There is no need to panic and there is preparedness here that should put everyone at ease. So I want to congratulate the government for necessary actions that they have taken.”

The government’s Ebola task force consists of National Security officials, including the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Defence Force, Customs and Immigration officers, Ministry of Health officials, the Nassau Airport Development Company, among others.